Thousands of South African men have demonstrated in Cape Town in protest against a series of rapes of baby girls.

The rally follows two reported child rapes on Friday and Saturday, one of which involved an eight-month-old girl.

The demonstration - led by government ministers and the Archbishop of Cape Town and under the banner "Real Men Don't Rape - is the beginning of a 16-day campaign intended to raise awareness of the problem, which came to prominence following an alleged gang rape of a nine-month-old girl by six men earlier this month.

Correspondents say that in a country where the rate of HIV and Aids infection is high, having sex with a virgin is believed to be a cure.